Bracelet clasp



s. GELDWERTH 3,360,836

BRACELET CLASP Jan. 2, 1968 Filed Oct. 19, 1965 I Ill 22 87%, 9: I A rmmvers SIMON GELDWER 7' H United States Patent Ofiice 3,360,836 Patented Jan. 2, 1968 3,360,836 BRACELET CLASP Simon Geldwerth, 1434 57th St, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11219 Filed Oct. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 497,911 18 Claims. (Cl. 24-230) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A snap clasp for bracelets includes a V-shaped spring catch with a free end that wedges into engagement with an opening in a keeper plate.

This invention relates to jewelry and more particularly to a clasp for hollow bracelets.

One object of the invention is to provide a clasp of simple construction which can be easily attached to a bracelet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracelet clasp having self-centering features which will insure positive alignment of the two sections of a bracelet when closed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a spring clasp for bracelets having a wedging locking opera tion which will securely close a bracelet without any gap between the abutting sections.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hollow bracelet clasp fabricated from a minimum number of parts.

Other objects and advantages willbe apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the following specification in connection with the annexed drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a blank from which a preferred form of latching member for a clasp in accordance with this invention is constructed;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the blank;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the blank after it has been doubled over;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional elevation of a clasp constructed in accordance with this invention including a latch and keeper attached to abutting sections (each of which is broken away) of a conventional bracelet and necklace;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of the shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of the keeper member shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of the clasp shown in FIGURE 4 but in its closed position;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of latch;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional elevation of a modified form of keeper to be employed with the latch of FIG- URE 8;

FIGURE 10 is an end view of the keeper shown in FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view of the keeper of FIGURES 9 and 10; and

FIGURE 12 is a side elevation of a modified form of blank showing the actuating button as being formed integrally with the latching portion.

In constructing the preferred form of clasp a blank is first made from a semi-cylindrical strip 15 of a springy metal. At one end of this strip an actuating button 16 is attached by means of a short length of wire 17 which is bent at right angles and secured to the inside surface of the strip at one end such as by soldering or brazing. At the other end of the strip an arcuate transverse groove 18 is formed on the exterior surface of the strip spaced slightly from the end of the strip. A radially projecting latching member protuberance 19 is also formed in the metal as shown. Further, in order to permit the strip to be doubled over approximately. in the middle, portions of the metal are removed, as indicated at 20, on both sides of the strip to provide a spring hinge section 21.

A flat supporting plate 22 is also provided, this plate having an opening 23 to which the lower leg 24 of the catch is secured either by soldering, or welding or other suitable means, the thickness of the groove 18 being such that a firm joint between the latch and supporting plate may be obtained.

In the preferred modification, the supporting plate is also provided with a radially extending slot 25 to permit the passage therethrough of the supporting wire 17.

The keeper comprises a flat plate 26 having a central opening 27, the radius of this opening being approximately the same as the radius of the curvature of the upper and lower legs of the latches 28 and 24 respectively. The thickness of the plate 26 should be such that after the clasp has been closed (as shown in FIG. 7) the terminal margin 29 of the upper leg will be wedged in at a slight angle behind the plate and the protuberance 19 on the lower leg will also engage with the inner surface of the plate 26 to assist the upper leg to prevent the clasp from opening.

It will be obvious that in the example shown in the drawing the two sections of bracelets 30 and 31 are cylindrical in cross-section and that in conformity with this cross-section the exterior surfaces of both supporting plates 22 and 26 will therefore be cylindrical. However, it will be realized that the exterior configuration of both these plates will depend entirely upon the design of the bracelet with which it is to be used.

Since the clasp may be made prior to its attachment to a bracelet, these plates can be fabricated from rectangular pieces, or sections having any other shape. The excess metal will facilitate attachment to the bracelet, and is removed thereafter.

Obviously, a portion of the bracelet section 30 should also be cut away at 32 in alignment with the slot 25 .to provide room for the wire 17.

FIGURES 8-l1 illustrate a modified form of the invention in which a semi-cylindrical strip of spring metal is formed similarly to that of the previous modification to provide a lower leg 24' and an upper leg 28' flexibly joined by the forwardly positioned hinge portion 21'. In this modification the actuating button 16 is attached to the outer surface of the upper leg by means of a radially projecting straight wire 33 positioned slightly forwardly of the terminal margin of the strip 29. In this instance the supporting plate 34 need only be provided with an opening sufficiently large to permit the lower leg to be I attached thereto by means of the arcuate groove 18'.

In view of the fact that the supporting wire 33 is positioned forwardly of the plate 34 the keeper plate 35 is provided not only with the central opening 36 but also must be radially slotted at 37 and an aligned slot 38 should also be provided in the bracelet portion 31' to permit the supporting wire 33 to pass into the bracelet section 31 when the outer section 30 is brought into abutting engagement with it. In all other respects the operation of the modified form of clasp is similar to that of the previously described one.

In FIGURE 12 there is shown still another modified form of latch mechanism which differs from the modification shown in FIGURES 8-11 only in that the semicylindrical blank, indicated generally by numeral 39, is formed with an integrally attached narrow section 40 which is bent upwardly to provide a support for an actuating button 41.

The latching strip of FIGURE 12 when secured to a supporting plate such as plate 34 shown in FIGURE 8,

will provide a latch which operates similarly to that of FIGURES 8-11 but would have the advantage that due to the position of the supporting element 40 directly at the terminal edge of the strip, it would not be necessary to cut the slot 38 in the bracelet'section 31; the thickness of the keeper plate 35 will usually be sufficient to receive the element 40 in the space provided by slot 37.

Having described several forms in which the invention may be practiced, it will be evident that various improvements and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art which would come within the scope of the annexed claims.

I- claim:

1..In a clasp for bracelets, the combination including a keeper and a latch, said keeper comprising a circular plate to be attached transversely at one end of a bracelet section, said plate having a concentric opening therein of less diameter than the inside diameter of a bracelet section to provide a transversely inwardly directed flange portion, said latch including a second plate to be attached transversely at one end of another bracelet section for abutting engagement with the first plate, a doubled over strip of spring metal having the extremity of one leg secured to the second plate and projecting forwardly to permit insertion of the strip into the opening in the first plate, the extremity of the other leg of the strip having an axially inwardly curved marginal portion thereof terminating in a plane disposed at a slight angle with respect to the rear face of the first plate comprising the keeper for wedging locking engagement with the rear face of said first plate.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said first leg is provided with a protuberant portion engageable with the rear face of the first plate.

"3. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said doubled over strip has a generally conical configuration, the radius of curvature of the extremities of the legs being approximately the same as that of the opening in the first plate.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein an actuating button is secured at the extremity of said other leg, said button projecting radially outwardly from a bracelet.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4, wherein said button includes a wire attached to the inner surface of the leg and extends rearwardly and radially.

6. The invention as defined in claim 4, wherein said buttonin'cludes a straight wire secured to the outer surface of the leg and positioned slightly forwardly of said portion of the leg for locking engagement.

7. The invention as defined in claim 4, wherein the forward apex of said doubled over spring strip provides a yieldable hinge disposed in a transverse line, and the extremity of said other leg terminates in a curved marginal edge defined by a plane parallel to said hinge axis and at a slight angle with respect to the first plate, to provide a wedging locking engagement.

8. The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein the forward apex of said doubled over spring strip provides a yieldable hinge disposed in a transverse line, and the extremity of said other leg terminates in a curved marginal edge defined by a plane parallel to said hinge axis and at a slight angle with respect to the first plate, to provide a wedging locking engagement.

9. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein the forward apex of said double over spring strip provides a yieldable hinge disposed in a transverse line, and the extremity of said other leg terminates in a curved marginal edge defined by a plane parallel to said hinge axis and at a slight angle with respect to the first plate, to provide a wedging locking engagement.

10. The invention as defined in claim 7, wherein one of said two attaching plates is provided with a radial slot to permit passage of said button.

11. The invention as defined in 'claim 8, wherein said second plate is provided with a radial slot to permit passage of said button.

12. The invention as defined in claim 9, wherein said first plate is provided with a radial slot to permit passage of said button.

13. A blank for making a latch for a clasp having a keeper provided with a circular entrance opening comprising an elongated semi-cylindrical strip of spring metal, a medial portion of each side margin being cut away to provide a hinge section, one end of said strip being provided with a radially outwardly projecting element.

14. The invention as defined in claim 13, wherein said element includes a wire attached to the outer surface of the strip.

15. The invention as defined in claim 13, wherein said element is an integral portion of said strip but of reduced longitudinal cross-section.

16. The invention as defined in claim 13, wherein the other end of the strip is provided with a transverse groove extending over the outer surface.

17. The invention as defined in claim 13, wherein a radially outwardly projecting protuberance is provided adjacent'the other end of the strip.

18. The invention as defined in claim 17, wherein said strip is also provided with a transverse groove extending over the outersurface adjacent said other end and between the end margin and said protuberance.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 833,458 10/1906 Hausherr 24-230 X 1,193,330 8/1916 Wray 24 -230 1,504,761 8/ 1924 Hubbell.

2,952,058 9/ 1960 Geldwerth 24230 FOREIGN PATENTS 376,746 5/ 1922 Germany. 524,671 5/ 1930 Germany.

70,480 1/ 19 1 5 Switzerland.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

